Michigan, Ohio storm advisories, emergencies differ

A flurry of snow emergencies and advisories were announced on television and radio stations and media websites in the region during Sunday’s storm.

Emergency declarations in some Ohio counties meant roads were closed and violators could be arrested.

In Lenawee County, only warnings were issued for drivers to be cautious while on the road. Parking on city streets in Adrian, Tecumseh and other municipalities was legally banned, however, by local snow emergency declarations. Violators could be fined and have their vehicles towed at their expense.

In Ohio, county sheriffs have the power to declare three levels of snow emergencies, according to the Ohio Committee For Severe Weather Awareness.

At Level 1, motorists are urged to drive cautiously on roadways made hazardous by blowing and drifting snow or ice.

At a Level 2 emergency, extreme caution is urged and drivers are asked to stay off the road unless they feel it is necessary.

A mandatory order to stay off the roads comes with a Level 3 emergency. Violators are subject to arrest.

Lenawee County’s emergency plan has three levels of advisories with voluntary compliance. A fourth step is a declaration of a local state of emergency by the county commission chairman that carries the force of law, said Curtis Parsons, county emergency management coordinator.

“Once we declare a local state of emergency, that adds teeth for law enforcement,” Parsons said. “With a local state of emergency declaration, in fact, we could go to the extent of declaring a curfew.”

A local state of emergency has apparently not been declared in Lenawee County since roads were made impassable during the blizzard of 1978, Parsons said.During Sunday’s storm, Parsons and Sheriff Jack Welsh issued travelers advisories due to hazardous conditions, urging extreme caution.

The next step would have been to issue a yellow advisory, based on roads being reduced to one lane with stalled vehicles likely to be encountered in the roadway, he said. The county plan’s red level advisory, he said, is for severe conditions when one lane of travel cannot be maintained and there is a high probability for motorists to be stranded.

The three advisory levels all depend on voluntary compliance and drivers making reasonable decisions based on risk factors, Parsons said. Drivers have to weigh the necessity of making a trip and the risk, he said.

Slippery conditions, deep snow, drifting and dangerously low temperatures helped convince many residents in Lenawee County to stay off the roads on Monday, he said.